Warren Wilson easement package seeks county bond support as state grant awards remain uncertain

Representatives from Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy and Buncombe County staff presented a multi‑parcel conservation package for Warren Wilson College land to the Land Conservation Advisory Board, describing four proposed agricultural/conservation easements that together total roughly 600 acres and additional adjacent land SHC plans to purchase outright (the Berea Tract, roughly 190 acres).

Presenters said the package is structured to qualify for multiple funding sources. U.S. Department of Agriculture (NRCS) funding has been committed for parts of the project, and applicants submitted multiple North Carolina Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation (ADFP) applications; some of the easements ranked at or near the top of the state lists, but ADFP funding is subject to the state budget process and is uncertain. The presenters said county bond funds previously approved for transaction costs (about $300,000 previously authorized by the board/commission) cover closing expenses already and that the request now is for bond funding toward purchase price gaps if ADFP or other expected funds are not awarded.

SHC requested that LCAB recommend county bond funding to cover a base amount (presenters identified $483,888 as a floor the group expects will be required) and asked the board to authorize flexibility to apply additional county funds if several ADFP awards do not come through. Presenters described a funding “seesaw” scenario: if one or more ADFP awards are confirmed, SHC would reduce its county request accordingly and return county funds for use on other projects; if ADFP funds do not materialize, county bond funds would be used to complete the closings. Presenters asked LCAB to recommend funding three of the four easements (the three that were not ranked as the state’s top #1 in different ADFP regions), to ensure projects can proceed rather than wait another year for a reapplication cycle.

The board discussed stewardship, public access, building envelopes, and the design intent behind four separate easement units (the four‑easement design was described as preserving marketable estate units in case the college needed to sell property in the future). Presenters showed maps of building and farmstead envelopes, explained that some envelopes already contain existing agricultural structures, and said the smallest easement unit contains about 96 acres (so reserved residential building envelopes are large and low density). The presenters noted Helene‑related flooding highlighted the downstream benefits of large conserved floodplain and pasture areas; they expect an anticipated closing in 2027 because of the timing of state and federal grant reviews.

No board vote was taken at this meeting; LCAB members asked staff for follow-up material including title and stewardship obligations and signaled interest in at least one site visit. Presenters said private and federal funding commitments are in place for parts of the package and that county bond funds are being requested largely as contingency to ensure timely closings.

Key details - Project: four agricultural/conservation easements totaling roughly 600 acres; Berea Tract purchase by SHC ~190 acres (SHC purchase not requested from LCAB). - Funding landscape: NRCS funds committed for parts of the package; multiple ADFP applications submitted with rankings (some easements ranked #1 in state-area lists; others ranked #6, #10 and #14); county previously authorized ~ $300,000 for transaction costs; presenters identified $483,888 as an amount they expect to be needed at minimum for purchase-price funding and asked LCAB to authorize a contingency allocation if state funds are not awarded. - Stewardship/design: four separate easement units to maintain marketability and working-land values; a mix of farmstead and agricultural building envelopes; smallest unit size noted ~96 acres; some farmstead envelopes include existing agricultural structures. - Timing: federal and state grant approvals are slow; presenters said the anticipated closing is 2027 and asked LCAB to move quickly so committed federal funds can be spent before potential changes in funding conditions.

Board members asked for additional documentation on boundaries, stewardship obligations, and any exclusions; they also discussed whether public access would be required (presenters said bond-funded passive-recreation elements could include trail improvements, but easement funds themselves do not automatically require public access). LCAB did not make a funding recommendation at this meeting; staff and presenters will follow up with detailed budgets and scheduling.